Don’t Fall For This New Scam That’s Made It To East Texas

Scams are nothing new. You know, you get a call asking for you to help bail your long-forgotten cousin out of a Venezuelan prison. But, the only payments they'll accept are iTunes gift cards. Seems legit, right?

However, there's a new scam going around that sounds a bit more official, or legitimate. Here's what to look for:

First, you get a phone call that looks like it's a local phone call, because it shows your area code. They call asking for you, or your relative, and they say there is "an urgent civic matter" that needs to be dealt with. You are given an 800 number to call with a given case number to discuss, and they "will get back with you". When you call this 800 number, you are told that there will be a warrant issued for your arrest, unless you pay the amount that is given. Then, the original number - the one with your area code - calls back to tell you that you need to have your identification ready, so that they can serve you papers.

If this happens to you, you should not give out any personal information. DO NOT give out any identification numbers, payment accounts, credit card numbers, etc. Papers are served in-person, and any "civic matters" to this effect are dealt with in-person as well.

We actually have a co-worker here at the station that has been contacted about this, which resulted in him receiving phone calls from several family members, because the scammer called all of them. The particular number that he was asked to call was 888-850-0761. (If you get this number, DON'T ANSWER OR CALL) So, this is a real thing that's happening. We know.

If you receive one of these calls, contact your local authorities. Here are a couple of the sheriff's office numbers, should you need to contact them, rather than calling emergency services.